A TOP Teesside athlete must wait to hear if his dream of winning an Olympic gold medal for Britain can come true - or if he will be deported.

It could be up to a month before Rabah Yousif, 20, finds out if he has won his final appeal against being sent back to war-torn Sudan. It means another nerve-wracking wait for Rabah and his partner Sophie, 21, who have an 18-month-old son Noah and live in Thornaby.

Rabah, who absconded from the Sudanese youth team as a 15-year-old, made a desperate plea to stay at a Tyneside immigration tribunal yesterday. Sophie’s emotional parents Robert and Anne Legg, her sisters, her cousin, her nan and Rabah’s friends were there to support him.

The family fears Rabah’s life would be in danger if he is sent home and a tearful Sophie told the court: “I couldn’t go with him and Noah would be without a father.”

Top Teesside coach Glyn Williams made a passionate plea for Rabah to be allowed to stay. “He is a potential gold medallist, but I am supporting him not just because I want to see him on the podium,” he said.

“I am a nervous wreck doing this, my heart is going 50 to the dozen. But my paramount motive in all this is for Rabah’s safety.”

Bob Smith, who has coached some of Britain’s top athletes, said Rabah was poised to join the country’s elite runners. “I would say he is in line for Lottery funding and the most promising athlete we have seen in five years.”

But the judge said: “I am aware there has been a lot of emotion surrounding this case, but I will make my decision in accordance with the law.”

She said her decision in writing would be given in 10 days, but might take up to a month to be sent to Rabah.

Despite his long battle to stay on Teesside, where he married Sophie in an Islamic ceremony at their home, Rabah continues to train and win races.

Rabah has been in Britain since 2002 and was granted legal asylum until he was 18. But this is the end of the road for the appeals process.

Hundreds of Teessiders have signed a petition asking for him to stay and his aim is to win a gold medal for Britain at the Beijing Olympics.

He took the bronze medal in the AAA Indoor Championships and won the UK Under 23 crown at 400 metres.

He has made the fastest time in the 200 metres this year and is heading for a 45-second 400 metres which would put him in an Olympic final.

Only three British athletes have run quicker over a lap this year than Rabah.

He said: “I am very nervous, but trying to stay laid back. We are just hoping for the best.”

Support for the family has come from many Teessiders. “I cannot walk down the street without people wishing us well,” said Sophie. “We are really grateful to everyone who has wished us well.”